


Nico Minoru's Sort-of Mothers

by shikadi



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds, Runaways (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 13:52:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7317811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shikadi/pseuds/shikadi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the black nail polish that Nico notices first. She expected that someone who was offering to foster her would be more parent-like and therefore be devoid of black nail polish, because that's for goths, emos, and other teenage monsters.</p><p>Nico doesn't want to be adopted, or fostered or whatever this strange woman is offering, nail polish or not. She wants her friends. She wants to know Molly is okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nico Minoru's Sort-of Mothers

**Author's Note:**

> I just reread Secret Wars A-Force, and my one question is: how did Loki and America end up living together, and acting as parental figures to Nico? And then an AU was born wherein they all got to be happy.

It's the black nail polish that Nico notices first. Of course, it's not like Nico bought the copyright to black nail polish. She just expected that someone who was offering to foster her would be more parent-like and therefore be devoid of black nail polish, because that's for goths, emos, and other teenage monsters.

Then she looks up, and spots long wavy black hair, carefully winged eyeliner, and perfect cupid's-bow lips. The woman's wearing a green dress that, again, covers a percentage of her that would be more teen-ish than adult. Despite that, she's maybe in her mid-twenties.

Nico doesn't want to be adopted, or fostered or whatever this strange woman is offering, nail polish or not. She wants her friends. She wants to know Molly is okay.

"Hello, Miss Minoru. My name is Loki," the woman says. She smiles enigmatically instead of offering to shake hands or something. Nico appreciates that.

Nico's counsellor nudges her with his elbow, trying to get her to be polite. She ignores him.

"I'm guessing you're sick of living in this boarding school."

Well, yes, she is, but it's mostly because after her last escape attempt her phone privileges have been revoked. Her and her friends seem to be known to the county, if not the state, as the Runaways, given their proclivity for doing just that.

She still doesn't reply, but she does fix Loki with a sullen stare.

Nico doesn't want to be adopted. She doesn't want anyone trying to play parent for her. She wants her friends, and she wants to be left the hell alone. Adults were never to be trusted.

"The statistics for the fostering of non-white girls with traumatic pasts at your age are abysmal. Especially given your somewhat delinquent behaviour." Loki smirks. "Now, I'm not one to judge. I was adopted myself and anyone who met me in my terrible teens will tell you I can't take the moral high ground."

Despite herself, Nico begins listening.

"I don't want to be your mother, or even anything other than the person your school rings when you blow up toilets or whatever kids do these days for fun. I just want to give you somewhere to live."

-O.O-

Of course, there's a shittonne of paperwork and Nico does make conversation with Loki at some point, and in the end, she consents to be fostered by Loki until she is of legal age.

During the whole expensive, lengthy, and paperwork-heavy process Loki takes Nico out to a cafe.

"My house is fairly expansive. So long as you attend school and come home at night or at least let me know where you're going, feel free to ignore me," Loki says. "I would, in your situation, but I think you're a little smarter than I was."

"I don't want to ignore you," Nico replies, surprisingly honestly. There was a brief pause, and then Nico asked "Why do you want to foster me? There are plenty of better kids."

Loki shrugs. "I do what I want."

Nico looks down at her black coffee and feels ... okay. She isn't the best at understanding her own feelings, and she's torn between agreeing with Loki and putting her head down, and making another break for freedom by exploiting Loki's relaxed status.

"What about the other Runaways?" she finds herself asking.

"Mm, the other kids you were on the run with. I'm limited as to how many I can foster, but I don't see any reason why they can't visit. Or stay, if they need to." Loki sculls the rest of her latte. "Damn, but pumpkin spice."

It doesn't quite add up for Nico; Loki seem too young, too casual to just randomly foster a troubled child. Not that Nico particularly thinks of herself as 'troubled' compared to some she's met in the care system.

"So there are five of you, I recall."

"It's complicated." Nico feels her light mood dissapate. She really isn't interested in discussing Runaways history.

"Hm. Another drink? I'm paying." Loki goes to get a drink for herself despite Nico's head shake.

-O.O-

Loki plays terrible music on the drive to her house. She apparently has a very eclectic taste in pop music, and seems to know all the words. Then _Pinball Wizard_ comes on and she sings to that too. Nico doesn't quite know what to make of her.

Her house is surprisingly nice. Given her age, Nico expected something a little tatty, but it's a tidy-looking colonial-style house, with a pretty little garden and another nice car in the driveway. It suggests a lot of money for someone Loki's age.

There's someone leaning on the doorframe of the front door, looking at her.

"Ah yes. That's America Chavez. She lives here, too," Loki says. Her tone is oddly smirky.

Nico raises an eyebrow. "Like your roommate?"

"Yes, and with benefits." Loki grins winningly at America, who rolls her eyes, although she's smiling a little.

Loki retrieves Nico's things from the boot of the car and begins heaving them towards the house.

"You must be Nico," America says. "Welcome to our humble abode."

She seems happy enough to see Nico, and even takes some of her things to help her inside. It doesn't seem like it'll be that awkward.

The house is spacious and Nico has her own room, which Loki says she can decorate however she wants. It's the first time since she was living with her parents that she's had so much unsupervised space to herself. America follows the pair around the house as Loki gives the grand tour.

"I cook dinner," Loki finishes. "And I'll serve it when I'm finished. When that will be, only God knows, and by that I mean me."

Loki leaves her to settle in and Nico immediately closes the door. The room is so quiet. It's bliss.

-O.O-

Dinner is good. Loki clearly loves to cook.

After dinner, Nico is invited to play Portal with Loki, but she declines.

"Can I ... can I use your phone?" Nico hasn't been allowed to use a phone on her own for three months now.

Loki rummages in her coat. "I don't have a landline hooked up. Take my cell."

She can't believe it. Too surprised to thank her sort-of parent, she goes up to her room without a word and dials Victor.

"Victor Mancha, who's this?" he answers.

Nico's voice catches in her throat. "Victor, it's me!"

"Nico? How'd you get a phone? Where are you?"

Nico blurts out the whole story. Goddamnit, she's happy to be out of that place.

-O.O-

When she goes downstairs, Loki is grinning and tapping furiously on her controller while America is stretched out on the couch, her head resting on Loki's lap as she stitches a flag patch onto a pair of jean shorts.

"Thank you," Nico says as she offers the phone to Loki.

"Mm-hmm. Hold up," Loki says as she executes a particularly difficult manoeuvre, then puts the console down and pockets the phone. "It's fine. Don't you have your own phone?"

"I wasn't allowed one," Nico replies.

"And they thought this would make you more social?" America says dryly.

Nico can only laugh bitterly, because it does seem silly when she says it like that.

"There's still room for one more," Loki offers, wiggling her controller. "'Merica doesn't bite without permission."

America flicks Loki on the leg at that. The corner of Loki's mouth quirks up.

"I don't know how to play," Nico says.

"Neither does she," America snorts.

"As cruel as that remark was, she's entirely right. No shame in this household."

Nico settles on the couch, waiting for the other shoe to drop. No one in the entire bloody universe was actually going to be that generous without wanting something in return.

-O.O-

Nico isn't going to start school at the local high school until next week, so she has several days to herself in the big house.

Loki goes out during the day, and Nico assumes she has a job. America does not seem to have any kind of employment, but says that she travels a lot when the weather is nicer.

"I don't exactly know what Loki does," America admits when Nico asks. "But she pays all the rent, and she's always busy. I hope it's legal."

She then goes back to kicking a bag hanging from the ceiling. Nico decides to never piss her off.

Her next move is to Google her new guardians. As it turns out, Loki's family are fairly famous politicians - just searching her first name brings her up - and it's not unbelievable that she just has a lot of old money, while America Chavez is a national kickboxing champion. What they have in common, she can't tell.

"You wanna learn how to box?" America's voice interrupts Nico at the desktop computer.

"You're not going to break my limbs?" Nico asks warningly.

"Not if you're a good student," America smiles, with a slight edge to it.

She's a nice person, Nico decides. She acts like a complete hardass, but she is a nice person.

Nico spends the whole afternoon being taught how to kick. It's great.

-O.O-

A few mornings later, Nico comes down for breakfast to find Loki drinking coffee and reading a book. A greasy, empty plate is the only trace of bacon long gone. Loki's wearing a red-white-and-blue shirt that clearly isn't hers, and smiling into her mug.

"Good morning ,starshine. I'm not making special breakfast today, but there are PopTarts in the cupboard," Loki says.

"Thanks," Nico says. "Do you mind if I go out today?"

"Please do. Get some sun onto your pallor," Loki replies. "Might I ask we're you're going? You don't have to tell me, it's more for posterity than anything else."

"My friends, in the big park in town," Nico says.

Loki seems unbothered. "Excellent. Go nuts. And, oh, hey, it's a Saturday. Do you want spending money? Get an ice cream or something equally delicious?"

Nico's eyes widen. She hasn't really thought of money, and as far as she knows, she doesn't have any. It was long gone from buying essentials on the streets. "That - that would be good," she says uncertainly. She's already taken so much from Loki, and while the woman doesn't seem to mind it, she still feels like a burden.

"Tell you what. Half your clothes are second hand and ratty and not really that Goth. And you need a phone because you're a teen and that's just what you do. Take my credit card," Loki says.

"I can't!" Nico exclaims.

"Why not?" Loki asks.

Nico huffs out a heavy breath. "What do you want from me, Loki? I've been here a few days now and you've just let me be and thrown money at me. What are you waiting for me to do? When's the other boot gonna drop?"

"I don't want anything from you."

"Then _why_ are you being nice to me?" Nico demands.

Loki falls silent for a moment, her eyes flicking downwards. "Nico, I really did only take you in because I thought someone should."

"But you came to the school for _me._ You didn't just turn up randomly wanting a child. No one does that," Nico says.

"I did," Loki says. "Truly, Nico, I didn't mean to scare you. Like I said, your odds of being fostered were very slim, and I felt sorry for you. This is a big house and I wanted someone else to fill it. I made a few calls and found out that you existed and could use a big empty like this to make your own."

"Really?" Nico says. "Why are you always throwing money at me?"

"Because I'm emotionally stunted," Loki shrugs. She gestures at Nico's feet. "Also, your shoes talk when you walk. I feel obligated to get you new things."

"And what does America have to do with all of this?" Nico presses on, needing answers.

Loki laughs. "Nothing, I suppose. She's my girlfriend sometimes, a kickboxer other times, and she had no objections to my random desire to obtain a child."

Nico finally relaxes into her chair. "So everything's just as it seems."

"I believe so."

"Sorry," Nico breathes. "I was so worried."

"That seems fair enough. How many times now have you been picked up off the streets and put into homes with increasingly tighter security?"

"A few," Nico says.

"A little paranoia is probably necessary. Take my credit card. And please come back tonight," Loki says.

It seems so reasonable, when Loki says it like that. Nico isn't sure what to do when it's a request and not an order to stick around.

-O.O-

The day goes well. Molly is being spoiled where she is, which is just what she loves. Victor is looking after himself, starting community college soon enough. Karolina's met an amazing non-binary person and talks about them whenever she gets the chance. Chase is, at least, able to talk without sounding weighed down by grief.

They get ice cream. Nico tells them about Loki and America, and has to assure them a few times she's not making them up. She buys Molly so much food the girl looks like she'll vomit, while Victor tries to parent her, Karolina coos over her, and Chase makes snarky comments.

She loves them all so, so much. It's tempting for a split second to tell them to run away with her again, but there's no point. She's allowed to visit them whenever and they all seem happy.

They follow her around town like ducklings while she shops for new clothes. She gets a new phone and immediately gets everyone's numbers, demanding that they stay in contact. She even ends up buying clothes for the others, her motherly instincts sharp from so long leading the group.

"Thank you, Nico," Karolina says. "But won't Loki mind?"

Nico thinks for a moment, but she knows that Loki would be delighted that she's getting out and connecting with her friends.

-O.O-

When she gets back home, late in the evening and full of plans to invite the others over in the weekend, Loki and America are eating muffins in the kitchen. The baking is clearly fresh and Loki pushes the tray towards her when she comes in.

"How'd it go?" Loki asks.

Nico smiles at her. "Well. Really well. Thank you."

" _Chica_ didn't do shit," America says, elbowing Loki in the side, who laughs and elbows her in return.

"She didn't stop me," Nico says. That was enough.

Loki closes her eyes and nodded, chewing her mouthful, no real reply needed.

Nico puts the credit card on the table and grabs a muffin.

"Loki, I got a phone when I was in town," Nico begins.

"Good," Loki says.

Nico retrieves a pen and writes down her number, putting it down on the table on Loki and America's side. "So I can check in with you guys. That's what kids do, right?"

"I hear that's the trend," Loki says, taking the piece of paper. "Thank you, Nico. You didn't have to come back."

"I wanted to," Nico says with full honesty. She takes a mouthful of the muffin and it's delicious. She then ruins the tender moment by saying, "I've invited them all over next weekend."

America sighs, just slightly, and Loki swats her on the arm. "We're delighted to hear it," Loki says.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short fic I finished because why not


End file.
